New York – Women might have many rocky relationships in their lives, even in their closets. Skinny jeans, thong underwear, wavy hair and tans are great when they’re good but can turn into enemies on a moment’s notice. When it comes to shoes, though, the love affair sails smoothly.
Could there be any reaction other than adoration to a pair of jet-black, super-shiny Stella McCartney patent leather pumps with scalloped edges that teeter on 4 1/2-inch heels?
“Once the high heel was invented – it began appearing at the end of the 16th century or early 17th century, women become pretty interested in the transformative powers of high heels. … They say ‘status,’ ‘sexuality,’ ‘sexual appeal’ and ‘femininity’ all at once,” says Elizabeth Semmelhack, curator of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto.
Those McCartney patent pumps are the first thing the audience sees in the new movie “In Her Shoes,” and they represent the thing that women who like high-heel shoes (and that’s a lot of women) have in common: They’re an instant lift when it comes to one’s place in the world.
“Shoes are historically and traditionally caught up with sexuality. What kind of shoe you wear is an identifying mark of a woman,” says Sophie de Rakoff, the film’s costume designer.
Toni Collette’s film character, a mediocre-looking Rose Feller, sums up women’s attraction to the all-important accessory with, “I guess, when I feel sad, I like to treat myself to something. Clothes never look good, food just makes me fatter … shoes always fit.”
“That’s universal thinking among women,” says de Rakoff. “And a good pair of shoes can tip a look one way, and a bad pair can go the other way. If you don’t have $2,000 to spend on a Lanvin dress, you can spend $300 on great shoes.”
Rose collects shoes because they’re part of the fantasy life she wants to lead. Unfortunately she has nowhere to wear them.
Her beautiful sister, Maggie, played by Cameron Diaz, has lots of places to parade around in her sister’s shoes.
Knowing that Rose was the character buying all the shoes gave de Rakoff the opportunity to recruit a Dream Team roster: Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Chanel, Delman, among others.
“It was important to pick well-established, well-recognized brands. They’re the shoes that when you’re walking around the department store you say, ‘I wish I had $600 to buy those shoes.”‘
